Soccer Genius Wants to Get Noticed - Chapter 195



Only Krnovel

Episode 195 The Way Forward, The Way You Must Take (1)

I don’t want to talk at length about the penalty kick in the second half.

To put it as simply as possible, I was trying to kick the ball hard into the top left corner of the goal, and the opposing goalkeeper dove in the same direction.

It was just blocked by the palm of my outstretched left arm.

Ta-da-da-dak, bang! thud!

The only silver lining was that a friendly striker waiting outside the box ran out and took the second shot.

Unfortunately, it was Mark Uth who scored the goal, and he was ridiculed throughout his return to Germany.

‘You might not be able to put it in. If a person is too perfect, they lack humanity. But I guess their gaming ability will drop? This is only the second time you’ve missed a penalty kick. Your success rate is 0%.’

‘… … .’

‘Oh, I mean, if I had to find a negative point, then yes. But still, it’s okay since the numbers won’t fall any further, right?’

‘… … .’

‘If I had to find a positive point, it would be this. After all, we won the game because of this body. And AT Madrid lost too.’

That’s right.

The result of the third round was a 2-1 victory for Cologne.

Meanwhile, at the same time, Atletico Madrid became the victim of an upset, losing 0-2 away to Club Brugge.

So the group league standings are… … .

1. Club Brugge (2 wins, 1 loss) 6 points, goals scored 2.

2. AT Madrid (2 wins, 1 loss) 6 points, goal difference 1.

3. FC Cologne (2 wins, 1 loss) 6 points, goals scored 0.

4. FC Porto (3 losses) 0 points.

All three teams are tied on points, but Club Brugge have moved into first place thanks to their win over Porto in the second round.

It’s so weird.

When I played against them directly, they never seemed like a team that would suffer three losses. I couldn’t understand why FC Porto’s performance was like that, and why Atletico Madrid, which was so powerful, was defeated by Brugge.

Maybe I didn’t know this was the European stage.

A place where anyone can catch and be caught by anyone.

Of course, now was not the time to worry about missed penalty kicks or the intensity of the Champions League.

* * *

“Ha-nul, they’re all here.”

“… … .”

“Hanul?”

“Okay. I’ll get off. See you tomorrow.”

“Okay, be careful going in.”

Just as I return home in the car, I open the car door and get out, responding to the driver’s friendly yet concerned greeting.

From Frankfurt International Airport to the training ground, and then back to a familiar residential area. The distance was not short, but before I knew it, I was back in my hometown.

Return after three days.

Even though time passed, the uncomfortable feeling remained and I couldn’t move forward easily.

Vroom, vroom.

As if it had something to say, the car trying to get out of the alley stopped for a moment on the side of the road, then disappeared from sight, emitting an exhaust noise.

I should thank you for not being a bother.

“… … .”

Wheww.

The cool autumn breeze tickles the back of my neck, but a corner of my heart doesn’t seem to want to enjoy peace.

Of all things, my mom quit her job.

No, that’s a good thing, but… … Now that things have turned out this way, I feel a bit sorry that someone is always living in the corner of the house.

Awkward, embarrassing, uncomfortable, and pathetic.

Because of those kinds of feelings.

Even if it wasn’t me, anyone would feel their hands and feet curl up if they recalled the things they said that night.

“Maybe I was too excited.”

Yes, that’s true.

But what bothered me more was the shocked expressions on my mom and dad’s faces. I knew I had to act calm when I got home, but I wasn’t confident.

Do your mom or brother have any acting skills?

That was when.

Bam!

Fortunately or unfortunately, the sound of the front door opening makes me turn my head.

The source of the sound is the house across the street.

In this small town, there is a man with a reputation for being a good cook… … Grandpa Bongo.

Well, maybe this is just the right help.

As if his appearance had been a catalyst, I started to move my feet, which had been frozen in place, and headed toward the main gate.

There’s no way I can delay going home any longer.

But suddenly, as soon as I stepped across the narrow yard, a coughing sound and the other person’s voice hit my ear.

“Hey, you little guy!”

“……me?”

“Who else is here besides you?”

Knock knock knock.

Grandpa Bongo waved at me as he crossed the street diagonally. It seemed like he was heading to the house next door, not ours.

In fact, he didn’t say much and just climbed up onto Uncle Gunther’s balcony and pointed his finger at the sky.

“Hey, take a look at #@$.”

“… … ?”

“On the pillar. I can’t reach it. I said I left the keys there.”

“……who?”

“Who could it be?”

“Uncle Gunther?”

“Okay.”

Would it be correct to call it a main beam?

I lift my magpie leg and run my finger along the long wooden pillar above the door frame.

Swish, swish, thud.

I felt something catch on my fingers, so I fumbled around a little more, and soon a piece of metal fell to the floor.

That’s a real key.

“Günther told me to stay inside if I had nowhere to go. He said I could do whatever I wanted with him. He told me to stop crawling out in the middle of the night and acting like I was only fifteen years old.”

“… …Did the old man say that?”

“No, this is just my opinion. I don’t want to experience a police car coming into the middle of the neighborhood in the middle of the night twice. I’m already a light sleeper, so it’s not often that I get a deep sleep, and the siren is just too much. Don’t you think so?”

“… … .”

The sharp blows are fleeting.

The former plumber snatched the key from the floor, placed it in the doorknob and opened the front door.

Even though you’re not the landlord, you’re giving me the hint to come in.

Thud thud.

However, the interior was decorated like Uncle Gunther. Nothing fancy, just the bare necessities. There was a ceiling fan hanging from the ceiling, a couple of books on the table, and the kitchen was so clean that you couldn’t even find a pot.

“Food is on the left side of the upper cabinet. Cooking utensils are on the right. There’s nothing below. Since you don’t have enough belly fat to bend over, you obviously won’t use the lower cabinet.”

However, I cannot just sit by and listen to the badmouthing of Uncle Gunther, so I also start talking by looking for things to badmouth about him.

“But how did you know I was coming? Did you just wait for me, staring out the window the whole time?”

“Don’t you know about Ruhezeit (a break time required by German law)? You’re the only one making noise with cars rolling at this time.”

“… … It’s 2:30 in the afternoon now.”

“You have to be on guard until 3 o’clock. Especially in a neighborhood full of old people.”

They say you get what you pay for, and this case is perfect for that.

That damn Ruechite.

Weekdays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. The idea of ​​not disturbing others was good, but who cares about the sound of a car engine?

They say only really weird writers live in this neighborhood.

“Anyway, I’m going to go now. If there’s something you ‘absolutely’ can’t do, something you ‘can’t avoid’, then come and tell me. If you look for it, you’ll find a way.”

“What about Uncle Gunther?”

“hmm?”

“… … What have you been doing?”

Then, all of a sudden, you lose the initiative in the conversation as he starts to leave without even looking back.

It’s a shame it’s me.

“What does an old mother do? She meets her son and grandchildren, gets a checkup, eats delicious food… That’s all. Is there anything special about being this old?”

“Aren’t you sick?”

“What is the gist of your question?”

“huh?”

“There’s no one among my peers who doesn’t get sick. They all live with a couple of chronic diseases. So, we need to set a standard for ‘being sick.’ Are you talking about lying in bed and doing things today or tomorrow, or-”

“You didn’t leave because you got seriously ill, did you?”

“As far as I know, it’s not a fatal disease.”

“Are you sure?”

“maybe.”

“maybe?”

“If you’re so worried, why don’t you just call them yourself?”

“… … .”

The puns are over in an instant.

I don’t know your phone number, but I feel like I’ll be laughed at. I don’t want to let you know that we’re close but also distant.

I couldn’t accept it.

* * *

I won’t bother to include what happened in the corner of the house over the next three days.

To put it briefly, my brother was surprisingly well-behaved, my mom was secretly watching me, and my life was one where I didn’t even exchange a single word with my dad.

If it’s bad, it’s bad, and if it’s good, it’s good. We avoided talking about last night as if we had an unspoken agreement.

In the meantime, time passes, and I had just returned to Cologne after playing in the weekend league match, the 9th round of the Bundesliga, against Mönchengladbach.

The appointment was set for 5pm on Sunday evening.

“I watched the last game well.”

“Hmm.”

The meeting place is… … Hanse Stube next to Cologne Cathedral. It is a Michelin-starred restaurant specializing in French cuisine, and it is also the place where Werner Wolf had a meal.

By the way, I am a human who cannot just live with being taken advantage of.

He asked me to hold it here so that others could see it.

Because the person he was talking to was none other than Arsenal’s head of recruitment.

“Is it a bit strange to say that you saw it well?”

“That’s a little true. We lost 5 to 2. We were completely defeated.”

“I even scored multiple goals.”

“… … If you lose the game, it’s meaningless. The light fades.”

“Well, that’s true. But it will be different when he comes to our team. This season’s starting center backs, Magalhaes and Saliba, have shown a very solid performance.”

Edu Gaspar, who introduces himself as technical director, uses smooth language to appeal to his team’s capabilities.

How did you bring in those two central defenders, what were your expectations, and how did it turn out?

“Oh, that doesn’t mean I’m putting down Cologne’s defenders. There are also tactical differences to consider. Cologne plays much more aggressively. And honestly, we have nothing to say about it. They didn’t make it to the Champions League this season.”

“Yeah. Why didn’t you go?”

“We slipped up last year. We had to settle for UEFA. But that doesn’t mean Arsenal are lacking. Rather, it’s more accurate to say that it’s a very competitive league.”

This and that, blah blah, hesitating and hesitating.

He was very proactive, using careful expressions, and did not hide the team’s situation and strengths and weaknesses.

“Actually, strengthening the third line is the most urgent. But right after that, we are looking at the attacking line, and among them, the striker resource. That’s why Hanul, we desperately want you. The manager and the board all feel the same way.”

Of course, my agent didn’t just sit there and listen.

“But isn’t it true that you brought in Jesus this summer? It’s not that you’re trying to avoid competition for the starting position, but you also signed a long-term contract with Nketiah, a sub-resource, for five years. I heard you promised him that you’ll be a regular member.”

“… … That’s right, that’s right. But Nketiah can’t replace Jesus’ role. The two are fundamentally different players with different strengths. And above all, Jesus… … .”

“… … ?”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to say this, but it’s hard to play the entire league schedule. He’s not a player with enough endurance to play a full season. I’m not gossiping, it’s the truth.”

He shows a different side of himself by responding politely while feeling the gazes of the surrounding tables.

Just a moment ago, he was acting like a friendly neighborhood older brother with exaggerated gestures and a warm smile, but now he is showing a serious appearance with a hardened expression.

“Let me tell you one more thing. The use of Nketiah meant that he would be used in the first team. Of course, we can promise Hanul the same or better treatment. And what is more certain is the contract. Once the decision is made, Richard Garlick… … is our negotiator. You will hear more detailed conditions from him. I am sure that it will be a satisfactory offer, as the transfer fee is very low compared to the player’s ability.”

“……okay.”

Then, all of a sudden, he turned towards me and started talking to me.

“Really, Hanul. Did you call Mikel? Mikel Arteta. The head coach.”

“Yeah. Before.”

“I’m cautious about contacting you again because it’s the middle of the season and I haven’t made up my mind yet. If you have any questions, feel free to call and ask. Your role, the manager’s trust and expectations, how the team system is set up, etc. Anything.”

Even if they hadn’t lost 5-2 to Mönchengladbach, they would have been given a very high score.

Is it because it’s the day after the loss, or is it because the Champions League match is scheduled for three days later?

I feel positive, but I don’t think it’s enough to give a definitive answer.

After the evening meeting, Alex Pasek… …complied me.

It was good that he didn’t give a definitive answer or show any friendly expression.

‘Is that a good thing?’

‘Okay. You’ll find out when you see.’

And indeed, over the two weeks following this meeting, offers from various teams poured in.

As Mark Ut explains, ‘it’s like having top-quality fish on the market at a relatively low price.’

Even if I leave aside why I am a fish-

There were clubs I had heard about through news rumors, such as Manchester United and Chelsea, but there were also completely unexpected offers, including Barcelona and Inter Milan… … which sounded plausible.